Coal liquefaction is a process that turns coal into a substitute for liquid fuels. It involves two steps: coal gasification and gas-to-liquid. The technology is old and was first used in the 19th century for lighting. It is expensive but can be used when crude oil is scarce.
Coal liquefaction is a process used to transform coal, a solid fuel, into a substitute for liquid fuels such as diesel and gasoline. This process has historically been used in countries without a secure supply of crude oil, such as Germany and South Africa. The technology used in the process is quite old and was first implemented in the 19th century to supply gases for indoor lighting. Coal liquefaction could be used in the future to produce oil for transportation and heating, should crude oil supplies be disrupted.
Coal liquefaction occurs in two main steps; coal gasification and gas-to-liquid (GTL). During coal gasification, air and steam are added to the raw coal, which is heated to several hundred degrees Fahrenheit (Celsius). The carbon in coal reacts with oxygen and water, producing other gases such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen and methane. Carbon dioxide is waste and can be released into the atmosphere; the other gases can be burned or sent for further processing. During the 19th century, before electric lighting, this gas was burned to provide a light source for buildings and streets.
The second stage is also known as the Fischer-Tropsch process. Once the coal gas has been filtered and processed, water or carbon dioxide can be added to adjust the ratio of carbon monoxide to hydrogen. The hot gas is then passed over a catalyst, which condenses the carbon monoxide and hydrogen into long chains of hydrocarbons and water. The hydrocarbon chains can be used as a substitute for petroleum products such as gasoline, kerosene and heating oil, while water can be recycled and used as steam at the start of the process.
Coal liquefaction is generally more expensive than producing fuel from crude oil, but can become cheap if crude oil is scarce or unavailable. It was used during World War II by the German Army, which had a large supply of coal but little oil, to power tanks and other war machines. Later, during apartheid South Africa, coal liquefaction helped offset the loss of crude oil due to the sanctions. In the event of a major disruption in the supply of crude oil, coal liquefaction plants can be put into operation quite quickly, due to the simplicity of the technology and the high availability of raw coal.
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